Reunited, and It Feels So Good

The members of the Improvables celebrated their fifth (closer to sixth, actually, but who's counting?) anniversary at the Davis Center for the Performing Arts this past weekend with a Reunion Show, something that I think was long overdue for us. For this occasion, former troupe members and friends Darren Eggett and Grant, Guy, and Michael Gibbons joined us on stage for the first time in years (in Darren's case, it had been nearly six years!), and the multitalented Gibbons clan brought along their instruments, to boot.

I was fortunate to be able to join them and other current troupe members for this performance, and we had a most enjoyable evening together.

Prior to the start of the show, Grant, Michael, and Guy warmed up musically:

During the show, Guy reprised his Leroy character, seen here alongside Ryan, Grant, and Lorin in "Musical Day in the Life":

And after the show, Ricky and Keenan joined in with the Gibbons on an impromptu (what else?) rendition of the Beatles' "Eleanor Rigby":

It was an evening not to be forgotten.

Day 295: Jared's Kayak

Last night, Ben and I made a trip out to Riverton for our friend Jared's monthly Rock Band party. With a handful of others, we took turns singing and playing bass/drums/guitar on both Beatles Rock Band and Rock Band 3 and spent an enjoyable evening together.

Jared also took some time out to show us his new kayak - which he carved himself. I must admit that it's quite the impressive work of craftsmanship.

Day 277: Party Down! 2012

Yes, there was a presidential debate tonight, and Romney mopped the floor with Obama. But even better than that, today I had another birthday. It's one of those annual events that, you know, I'm finding keeps on happening whether I'm ready for it or not.

At any rate, family and friends were good enough to treat me very well for this occasion. Mom, Dad, and Biz treated me to a delicious lunch, while Mike, Jana, and the kids decorated the kitchen in my honor:

In what has now turned into a birthday tradition, Ben, Steve, Summer, and a handful of our mutual friends accompanied me to the Karaoke Cafe for an evening of great music and singing. Among the highlights were Ben's, Gary's, Steve's "Bust a Move," complete with some sweet dance moves of their own:

Pepe's many Beatles covers:

Steve's and Summer's duets:

and Jared's rendition of "Little Red Riding Hood":

I also sang to my heart's content but did not take photos of myself. Good times were had by all.

Day 274: "Ticket to Ride"

Mike, Jana, and the kids invited me to join them for family game night tonight. The game of choice was Ticket to Ride.

Good times were had by all.

Day 242: Blue Gatorade Fountain Show

Last week, when we were leaving the Farmington Cinemark following the aforementioned "RiffTrax Live!" screening of Manos: The Hands of Fate, we were impressed by the sight that greeted us upon our leaving the theater:


What has been built on the north side is a fountain that both (1) shoots out water in different colors and (2) does so "choreographed," if that is the correct term for it, to popular tunes. The Beatles' "Here Comes the Sun" was beginning just as we saw the above sight, and of course we had to stay to watch some more of the second show of the night.

Music vs. Muzak

For the last couple of months, I have been attending a Wednesday night Institute class for single adults age 27 and older. We meet at a chapel in Centerville, and attendees come from as far north as Ogden and as far south as the the Salt Lake valley. It's been a great way to meet several interesting new people, as well as to be instructed together in the good word of the gospel.

A handful of instructors take turns teaching these lessons, and one of them is, in fact, local musician Peter Breinholt. It was Bro. Breinholt's turn at the helm tonight, and it's something he shared with us upon which I now wish to expound.

Bro. Breinholt spent a portion of the evening discussing Elder Dallin H. Oaks's recent conference talk about the "good, better, and best" choices we often face. He compared the "best" to good music - this is, after all, a skilled musician who knows what he's talking about - whereas the "good" and "better," in comparison, sometimes seems like Muzak. For example, Beatles music, as performed by John, Paul, George, and Ringo, would qualify as "best," whereas a Beatles song heard in an elevator may be only good or (arguably) better.

Make sense?

I've been pondering on this idea throughout the evening, particularly how it relates to the idea of Ersatz relationships.

I first became familiar with the term Ersatz while watching an episode of "The Big Bang Theory" not too long ago. In this particular episode, Leonard's mother, who is a psychologist, remarks that Howard and Raj's friendship with one another is a sort of "Ersatz marriage relationship"; in other words, due to their lack of success with women, it has become a substitute or replacement for the real thing.

Many of us have these kinds of relationships, I suppose, in one form or another. And they're not necessarily relationships with friends. Some people have Ersatz relationships with their jobs or with their hobbies, be they TV or movies, reading, travel, video games, or almost anything else, rather than seeking for more-important (i.e. "best") relationships with those of the opposite sex.

Earlier this week, I read a rather troubling article in the Deseret News about marriages that have failed because one of the partners has become obsessed with online video gaming to the point of neglecting family, work, sleep, and even basic hygiene and nutritional needs for hours or days at a time.

Of course, none of the aforementioned hobbies are bad; but they're no substitute for the real thing, either.

A Night at the Karaoke Cafe

Tonight, I visited my new favorite hangout, the Karaoke Cafe in Murray, for the second time, and I must admit that I enjoyed myself a great deal.

In the first place, my date and I had the place all to ourselves for the first hour or so that we were there, and, as a result, we had free reign over the microphones with our choice of songs.

Secondly, by the time other customers finally began to roll in, I found myself making some new friends. The Karaoke Cafe is great in that sense; there's no competition or showing off involved, as on, say, "American Idol," but everyone takes turns singing their favorite songs, and everybody cheers whoever's turn it currently is. It's great if you love people watching, and overall it's just a win-win situation.

Among the new friends we made were Otis and Eunice, who have been married for 27 years and who, apparently, visit the café once a week on a regular basis. (I hope that after I've been married for 27 years that I can still enjoy the same hobbies with my wife as I saw exemplified by these two good people.)

My favorite moment of the night occurred toward the latter part of the evening, when Otis took another turn singing and mentioned to the crowd of us gathered there that, just this morning, his sister had passed away after a long battle with cancer. He then dedicated his next song, the Beatles' "Let It Be," to her, and when he was finished, there weren't many dry eyes.

I suppose that's the power of music and why certain songs appeal to us; they say what we're feeling better than we can much of the time.

If any you out there reading this ever want someone to karaoke with, just hit me up, and we'll go - especially if you're treating. I will drop (almost) anything to join you.

While You're Busy Making Other Plans . . .

I'm sick today. This is definitely not something that I planned on happening nor, for that matter, really needed to happen today.

Because I spent quite a bit of time last night worshipping the toilet gods, so to speak, I ended up missing out on this morning's Passion Buckets audition at EnergySolutions Arena. Dallin's wife gave birth to a baby boy yesterday, so he did not make it, either, and John was absent because of work. The five remaining members of Passion Buckets, I'm told, went ahead with the audition regardless and gave the best performance that they could under the circumstances. Thank goodness we recorded our version of the anthem on CD.

Because I'm sick, I'm also currently missing out on the BYU vs. USU football game in Provo as I write this. As a birthday present, Biz and Jeff graciously gave me one of their tickets so that I could go to the game. I should be there right now along with my dad, Steve, and Becky. Instead, I'm watching the game at home on TV.

More than once today, the words from John Lennon's song "Beautiful Boy" have gone through my mind; specifically, the line that states, "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans."

I was first introduced to this song when Richard Dreyfuss sang it with that less-than-perfect voice of his in the movie Mr. Holland's Opus. Mr. Holland's has since become one of my favorite films, while "Beautiful Boy" has become one of my favorite songs.

John Lennon said a few dumb things during his career and lifetime, but he also said and wrote some amazing stuff as well. "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans" is truly, from my experience, what much of life is about.

Such has certainly been the case for me today. I had people depending on me to be places, and there were places I wanted to go, but I could do neither. Yet somehow it's okay.

I also write this on the eve of another birthday - yet another cause for reflection today. The years just don't slow down at all once they speed up. It is also the eve of another general conference of the Church and another opportunity to be instructed at the feet of men and women of God.

Whatever plans I may make, I am looking forward to the future and whatever it is that life may have to offer me.

Here Comes the Sun!

It was only a few years ago when I really discovered the music of the Beatles. But ever since then, they have become one of my all-time favorite rock bands.

Of course, that's a claim that many people can make.

Anyhoo, given my affinity for both the Rock Band video game series and the music of the Beatles, I was excited when it was announced last year that a Rock Band: Beatles would be released.


Well, that day came was today. Being the big nerd that I am, I went and out and bought my copy this afternoon.

So far, I am loving the game. It includes 45 original Beatles songs, and apparently there will be many more available to download over the next few months.